Eternal Dance
by KittyKatz
Summary: In the final moment, Kagome decides to give her life so that Inuyasah can be free to live and love. Bad decisions made for the right reasons but in the end, it is their soul who will save him


The Eternal Dance

Kitty

It was in the final battle where she drew her final breath. There are many memorable moments in ones life, but in her death, none of them mattered, none came to mind. The only thing in her heart and soul was one person. The only thing she cried out to defy death for was his heartbeat, his smile, his laughter that she'd never heard. That was all that mattered. Love is the eternal promise. Love is the never ending dance of two souls forever intertwined as one. It sang in her heart and shone in her eyes. And at the very end, it took her soul.

"GO!" Kagome cried, her final arrow whizzing through the air to strike Naraku's black heart. His scream filled the sunset that was as red as the blood that watered the churned up field. Dead trees lay every which way and off to the edge of the clearing, the Goshinboku stood watch over the last moments of the momentous war.

A young woman in red and white garb sunk to the ground, glowing white orbs streaming from her body. Kagome started for her, but was beaten to it by Inuyasha.

"Kikyou!"

Kikyou, Kikyou, Kikyou… His desperate, sad voice echoed in her ears. Kikyou, Kikyou, Kikyou. She watched as his arms lifted the undead miko, and watched the gentled smile on her lips sweeten her surreal beauty and his hold on her tightened as her full red lips spoke to his white furry ears. Kagome's heart twisted for a moment as she watched the pair, unaware of the inky pool of blood soaking into her shoes and socks.

'Kill,' a voice echoed in her head, 'kill.'

Kagome whirled around to find a final, not so disintegrated tentacle reaching out for her. Kagome clutched the whole sphere of the Shikon no Tama as she waited for death.

Drip…

'What is that?' Kagome wondered.

Drip…

_They are your unshed tears_

Drip…

'What?'

Slowly opening her eyes, Kagome's wide, confused gaze took in a silver endless pond contained in a loosely woven web of white light. There was darkness all around, but the pond was bright with a pure white light.

Drip…

Ripples cascaded away from the center of the pool and lapped at her bare feet. Noticing them bare, she did herself a once over. She was in fact completely bare, and glowing. The pond's depth was endless, somehow she instinctively knew that, but she walked towards the center, never once sinking a millimeter below the surface.

Drip…

'My unshed tears?' Kagome thought.

Drip…

_Yes _The voice replied

Drip…

Unseen drops of liquid entered the glowing pool that was her sorrow. Upon reaching the center, she gazed straight down into the white, pearly depths, familiar pain clenching her chest as the images filtered up.

Drip…

_Kikyou… Kikyou, Kikyou… That's all he was thinking about. Kagome watched as his amber gazed stared though her and into the original image of the women she was the reincarnation of. _

"_You're nothing like her," he said, his voice holding a softness she'd never imagined possible…_

Drip…

"_Inuyasha!" their combined voices cried._

"_Kikyou!" his mighty roar answered._

_She was in his arms as they departed the battle seen, but she, Kikyou, was in his heart…_

Drip…

Kagome was unable to bear anymore. She saw thousands of images and instances flash by, fragments of broken hearted dreams, and real life nightmares whose scars still marked her heart. Another tear fell to join the brimming pond.

Drip…

_You have a choice to make._

Drip…

'What?'

Drip…

_There are two wishes deep within your heart… You must choose which will come true._

Drip…

'What wishes?'

Drip…

_You do not know? There are two wishes you heart desires. But there is one your heart cannot bear to lose. There is also one you heart can make, but is afraid to for fear of being turned away. You must choose._

Drip…

'I don't understand…' Kagome thought.

Drip…

_You do not know the deepest wish of your heart?_

Drip…

'I…I want Inuyasha to be happy…' Kagome thought, she knew that, she'd said so many times. I only want you to be happy.

'But…' Kagome thought softly in the darkest recesses in her mind, 'I want to be happy too…'

Drip…

_Can you not have both?_

Drip…

Kagome shook her head, 'No, he wants to be with Kikyou, I want him to be with me, there is no compromise in this situation.'

Drip…

_You are sure he doesn't want to be with you?_

Drip…

'No, he always thinks of Kikyou, it would be selfish of me to put myself in his way, I only want him to be happy'

Drip…

_You are sure?_

Drip…

'My deepest wish is for him to be happy, for him to have a chance at a better life. He wants to be with Kikyou… so… I will not stand in his way.'

Drip…

_So, then what is your wish?_

Drip…

'I want… him… to live. I want him to live with the woman he loves. I want him to lead a happy life and family.'

Drip…

'I… I… I wish… my life were given to Kikyou, so that Inuyasha can be free of his promise to fall into Hell with her, and so that he may live a life with the woman he promised himself to. He's been faithful to that promise, I won't bar his way anymore…'

Drip…

Drip…

Drip…

Inuyasha heard the splash behind him, and he turn to see his Kagome, bleeding from numerous wounds he hadn't noticed, fall face forward toward of dark oozing pool of Naraku's cursed blood. Kikyou shifted in his arms to see her reincarnation slowly purify the tainted liquid, and felt his arms loosen, and then fall away, as she knew they would. After all, his heart no longer belonged to her, whether or not he realized that. However, the sudden feeling in her gut caused her to frown.

Kagome's gentle face rested placidly in the pool of now clear water. Her blood flowed and mingled in this pool, its life giving energy slowly draining into her previous incarnate. Arms more gentle than butterfly wings, yet rougher that than the ancient bark of the Goshinboku encircled her body.

"Kagome!"

His voice carried the same desperation, and the same sadness. It carried more than that however. It was filled with dreams, emotions, love and joy. It was filled with rage, anger and annoyance. The colors of his voice painted a picture of black mixing with white, of red turning to blue. It was a picture of sunlight and darkness, fire and water. It was a picture of a life with Kagome. A dream he'd dared not allow himself to dream. A wish he dared not hope will come true.

"I am alive…" Inuyasha turned to see Kikyou, the scent of death clinging to her body. But it was only clinging. It was no longer a part of her body, her being. She, she was alive.

Turning back to Kagome, Inuyasha's eyes suddenly became blank. Dull, void of any emotion as he stared at the beautiful girl in his arms. The Shikon no Tama no longer resided around her neck. It no longer existed in this world.

With Kagome, Inuyasha, too, died. His soul forever united with the pure love of the girl that gave her life for him. A wasted wish. A wasted wish that could have been great. Inuyasha died. His soul torn from his body as the faint smells of death attached itself to Kagome. A smell that did not belong there. It didn't belong on her! She was alive! She was always alive, even through death she would live! She was eternal, her life, her love, her joy. Inuyasha died. His soul flickering out with the immense grief of the knowledge that he did this. He killed her. He led her to believe that she was ugly, that she didn't matter, that she, was second to her predecessor. Somewhere inside, Inuyasha died.

But love lives on.

I love you, Inuyasha

I will love you till the end of time

My love knows no limits

No bounds

Release your chains

You are free

"You are free, Inuyasha," Kikyou said. Inuyasha's dead eyes looked to the ethereal maiden, now standing before him, alive, well and calm.

Calm.

She had a strange new calm that permeated through her pulsing body

Her body of flesh and blood

"You are free," Kikyou said again, kneeling before Kagome's lifeless body. He made no move to stop her. He made no move at all, no flinch from her clothes brushing his torn ones, no shiver at the sensation of her holy powers coming to life.

Kikyou called back a soul catcher. She gave it explicit instructions. She gave it careful, thought out instructions and then cast her spell.

Drip…

Drip…

Drip…

Kagome stared at the scene. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to be Kikyou's reincarnate, so she was supposed to lie dormant inside Kikyou, being near Inuyasha through Kikyou. He was supposed to be happy. He was supposed to cry a little for her then move on. He wasn't supposed to die inside.

His reaction shocked her. The lifelessness in his eyes after he realized she was dead. He looked lost, dazed, and unwilling to accept.

Kagome suddenly felt a strange pulling in her chest. Something was pulling her. it was insistent. It needed her, he needed her. Inuyasha needed. Inuyasha needed Kagome.

Drip…

Drip…

Drip…

And I need him.

In an instant, years of sorrow and tears can vanish. A whole world can be destroyed and reborn in a single second. Life can begin anew.

Kikyou's eyes slowly closed shut for the last time. She was smiling. She had just witnessed something very special.

There are very few miracles in life. And the truest of those is the intangible bond between two people, a mother and child, a brother and sister, a girl and her love, a boy and his lifeline. She will leave knowing that she will sleep forever happy inside this bond. It is a bond that spanned centuries, lifetimes, generations. It is a bond that will continue to grow, and she will be there the whole way, watching it, caring for it, growing happy with it.

She smiled, she will live, as Kagome lives. And just as Kagome is eternal, so will she be. She will live on and she and Kagome together will love this hanyou. And he will love Kagome.

Drip…

Drip…

Splash!

One life traded for another, slowly fading, slowly growing. Fall into the depths of the pool of despair and take comfort in knowing that the heart is genuine. Let the unshed tears wash away the pain then scatter the pool into the rain. Let it nurture the flower, the plants, the seeds. Let it nurture the soul, the soul in need.

Their soul loves him, and he their soul. Bound forever, an eternal dance. One is sleeping, the other awake. Both in love, and both in peace.

* * *

um... idk wut to say bout this one... its really sad sounding huh? lol, it wasnt supposed to be but w/e. i'd "envisioned" kagome dying, then kikyou sees that she gotta fix kagome's mistake, Kagome coming back to life, kikyou inside her happy, everybody's happy... or maybe i just needed to do u mindless work cuz i can't sleep and i can't think and i'm tired and hungry and i wanna go eatnow so goodbye


End file.
